They never flew the CAP together. He was CAG, she was D-CAG and the CAP was, when possible, scheduled to have a senior pilot and a junior one. There was no sense on having the highest ranking officers in the squadrom flying together, when they had too many juniors and not enough seniors. It was a waste of experience.
They never flew the CAP together. Just their very first time, when he was exhausted and just couldn't remember any other names among the dozens of pilots he just met. He tried his hardest and "Boomer" was the only thing that came to his mind. He didn't even know who the hell Boomer was, he just remembered because that was the pilot the doc had said was in the better shape moments before he launched for the 218th time.
Later he rationalized to Tigh that he needed the most experienced fighter over there with him and that anyone else with previous combat experience was on the cerimony, and therefore dead, and that she was not as tired as the others. It was a lie, she was just as exhausted as the rest of them. Maybe more, she sure had axed more raiders that anyone else.
They never flew the CAP together. So, when he volunteered to take her number two, there was a small part of him that was secretly glad she wasn't feeling so hot that there was, finally, an excuse for the two highest ranking officers in the squadrom to go out together.
They never flew the CAP together and he was amazed when they did. They flew in synch, gliding among the fleet, moving together in silence, in peace. He should have made up a reason for them to do this together long before. It was a relief not to have to worry about the other pilot's movements, not to fix positions and give instructions. It was flying like he remembered flying, back home.
And then, she saw something on the clouds.
They never flew the CAP together.
Just their very first time.
And their very last.